The Great Silver Smelt, Argentina silus, Nilss. An Addition to the List of British Fishes.

Extract

By the kindness of Mr. J. Jacobs, to whom the Laboratory is already indebted for many specimens of interest, I received on the 15th June a fine example of the species mentioned above, which had been trawled off the south coast of Ireland. The fish weighed 1 lb. 5 oz., and measured 42 cm., or 16½ inches. Though taken at least a day previously, it was in excellently fresh and firm condition. I have already recorded its capture in a letter to the Field and at a meeting of the Zoological Society, but the locality was inexactly given in each of these communications. I have since learned that the correct locality is 50° 20′ N., 8° 25′ W., or about seventy-five miles true S. of the Old Head of Kinsale, depth seventy-four fathoms. A number of the same species were trawled, and some were found to be excellent eating. I have no means of deciding whether the occurrence of A. silus on the ground indicated is normal or exceptional. If it can be taken in any quantity it should prove a valuable addition to our list of food-fishes.